My Journey
My name is Palka, yoga practitioner and founder of Soul Shala. I was born and raised on the outskirts of New York City, into a community of Indian yogic and ayurvedic tradition. Yoga and its sister science of Ayurveda have been part of my existence for 35 years, since my earliest memory. Qualifying as a chartered accountant, I spent over 15 years working for corporates around the world and learned I wanted to interact with people in a different way. My decision to embark on the journey of teaching yoga and meditation came naturally as the ancient yogic tradition is engrained in my very being.
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I live in the English countryside near London and teach in the village of Burnham. My lockdown project was to build a movement and meditation studio (on our old family farm) called Soul Shala, which translates to "a shelter for the soul". It is a place where you can freely express yourself and find inspiration for personal growth through movement and meditation.
My passion is to spread mindfulness and movement beyond Soul Shala. When I am not there, I facilitate mindfulness and movement workshops at corporates, small to mid-sized businesses and non-profit organizations throughout London. I, first-hand, understand the need for and importance of such techniques to regulate stress, enhance productivity and promote work life balance.
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The foundation of my teachings stem from the Hatha yoga tradition married with the safe alignment of Iyengar practices and discipline of the Ashtanga lineage flowing with the dance of Vinyasa movements. My yoga sessions and retreats are inspired by nature, finding wisdom and healing through Mother Earth. My hope for each student is to embark on a journey beyond the physical through experiencing mudra, pranayama, asana, mantra and meditation all weaved into deep cosmic philosophy.
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Self practice and dedication to the yogic path has allowed me to explore my curiosities and continue being a student of yoga. I completed my Hatha and Ashtanga teacher training in Mysore and I am a fully insured, registered E-RYT 250 Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals UK.
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I strongly believe yoga is not about being able to perform difficult postures or sitting still with eyes closed but it is based on a deep philosophy of how we choose to live our lives. It is a never ending learning process, both on and off the mat. Yoga has helped me find balance, peace and harmony during trying times. I take it as my responsibility to share the wisdom of yoga to help students develop a sincere practice and find the essence of their yoga journey.